Pattern forming method

A method of forming a pattern in a plurality of shot areas included in r shot area groups on a substrate where r is 2 or more, the method comprising, in the following order:

• discretely dropping droplets of a curable composition (A1) containing at least a component (a1) serving as a polymerizable compound to layer the droplets on a first plurality of shot areas included in a first shot area group on the substrate;
• waiting for a time of (mmax−m1)×Td, where Td is a time for the dropping on one shot area, mi is the number of shot areas included in the first shot area group, and mmax is the maximum value of the number of shot areas included in each shot area group;
• and
• the waiting for a time of mmax×Ti, where Ti is a time for imprinting on one shot area, the imprinting including:
• bringing the curable composition (A1) into contact with a mold;
• irradiating the curable composition (A1) with light from a side of the mold to cure the curable composition (A1);
• and
• separating the mold from the cured product of the curable composition (A1);
• the method further comprising, in the following order with k from 2 to r in order:
• the dropping on a k-th plurality of shot areas included in a k-th shot area group on the substrate;
• the waiting for a time of (mmax−mk)×Td, where mk is the number of shot areas included in the k-th shot area group;
• the imprinting, in an order in which the dropping is performed on a (k−1)-th plurality of shot areas;
• and
• the waiting for a time of (mmax−mk−1)×Ti;
• the method further comprising, in the following order:
• the waiting for a time of mmax×Td;
• and
• the imprinting, in an order in which the dropping is performed on an r-th plurality of shot areas included in an r-th shot area group;
• wherein the time Td and the time Ti are equal to each other, and
• in the waiting, the dropping and the imprinting are not performed.